Design Schools

There are 1,563 accredited design schools in the country. As a professor or instructor of design classes at one of these schools, you play a essential role in shaping the future of this growing field. Below are charts, statistics and analysis of the trends in design academia which includes design training at the following levels:

Design Certificate

Associates degree in Design

Bachelors degree in Design

Masters degree in Design

PhD degree in Design

Statistics

Professional Trends

National Employment growth for Design professionals

404,590

417,290

422,710

393,410

370,320

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Dark Yellow: Actual Values

In 2010, 370,320 design professionals were working in the US. Between 2006 and 2010, the number of design professionals has shrunk by 8%.

This decline is faster than the growth for all careers during the same time period. There was a 1% decline for all careers. Over the next 7 years, this trend is expected to slow down.

National Salary percentiles for Design professionals

10th percentile

$28,118

25th percentile

$37,042

50th percentile

$51,074

75th percentile

$70,884

90th percentile

$94,515

In 2010, the median salary earned by design professionals around the nation, was $51,074 per year. The national median salary for all professions, was $68,155 in the same year. Thus, the median yearly salary for design professionals in the US was 16% less than the national median salary for all professions.

National Median Salary Growth For Design

$46,852

$48,300

$49,320

$50,401

$51,074

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Light Blue: Salaries

There has been a 9% growth in design professionals' salaries from 2006 to 2010.

Educational Trends

National Design Student enrollment growth by degree

15,319

15,130

14,902

15,576

15,500

19,527

19,974

20,844

21,013

22,497

21

22

15

29

23

1,305

1,256

1,380

1,545

1,959

4,786

4,997

5,203

5,940

4,573

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Yellow: Associate's Degree in Design

Blue: Bachelor's Degree in Design

Red: Doctorates Degree in Design

Light blue: Master's Degree in Design

Grey: Certificate in Design

The career outlook for design professionals is showing a rapid change. However, on the educational front, the story is quite different. In the year 2006 there were 40,958 students who graduated from design degree programs across the country, while in the year 2010, there were 44,552 students graduating from design schools.

This represents a 9% change in 4 years. This growth in the number of students graduating from design courses is less than the 12% growth nationally for students graduating from institutions of higher learning in general.

Design Programs offered Nationwide

associate

1,121

bachelor

975

master

134

doctor

7

Certificate

661

Total

2,898

The number of schools offering design programs has decreased. There were 754 design schools across the country in 2006. And there were 1563 schools in 2010.

Design Faculty Salaries

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Currently we are in the process of collecting data for the number of design faculty, growth in the field of design academia and faculty salaries. We would appreciate your help. If you teach design courses to students at the certificate in design, associates degree in design, bachelors degree in design, masters degree in design, and PhD degree in design levels, please anonymously submit your information in the field below. By doing so, you will be helping us build a valuable database resource for the benefit of current and future design faculty. A summary of what your peers have told us up until now will be available once you submit your information.